Some people do the traverse of the "death traverse" ledges at a higher altitude than necessary, going maybe 10/20/30 feet too high. This gets you into more difficult terrain around the corner, when you don't really have to.
Seems like it happens either due to the climber's instinct to gain altitude wherever possible, or because people are naturally scared of walking too close to the cliff edge below. Either way, if you do the traverse at a level that's just a short distance above the cliff, it's easy 3rd class. It may look scarier down there, but it has no real 4th class moves. So maybe it's 4th just by reason of exposure, but in a difficulty sense the moves are 3rd and even 2nd much of the time (i.e. ledge walking using hands only for balance). Just don't slip on sand or gravel or moss.
Then once you get around the corner, there's no need to head upward immediately; if you keep traversing left/south a bit longer, an easy 3rd/4th class ledge system appears, and this takes you up to Venusian and Moon Goddess on positive holds.
I don't mean to be picky, but I noticed the route description has IV 5.7 in the heading, but then refers to 5.8 sections in the description text below.
Soloing the Moon Goddess today I was definitely choosing the easiest ways through, never doing anything harder than necessary, and I'd have to say it did get to 5.8 in two or three places. Never for more than a couple of moves in a row, but it did reach 5.8.
A 5.8 rating would also be consistent with Croft and I don't know who else. Moynier/Fiddler have it as 5.7 (at least in the older edition), but then they also rate the traverse to skirt the first tower as 5.4.
The downclimb just before the second to the last pitch is short, more like 10-12 ft. Otherwise the route description is on target from a route-finding standpoint (can't speak to rope length).
Having soloed both Venusian and Moon Goddess within the last 13 months I can't say that the rock is any more sketchy than on other Sierra routes like the T-bolt to Sill traverse. IMHO, Moon Goddess was significantly more exposed than Venusian and much more fun.
Eric O - Aug 12, 2005 12:43 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentSome people do the traverse of the "death traverse" ledges at a higher altitude than necessary, going maybe 10/20/30 feet too high. This gets you into more difficult terrain around the corner, when you don't really have to.
Seems like it happens either due to the climber's instinct to gain altitude wherever possible, or because people are naturally scared of walking too close to the cliff edge below. Either way, if you do the traverse at a level that's just a short distance above the cliff, it's easy 3rd class. It may look scarier down there, but it has no real 4th class moves. So maybe it's 4th just by reason of exposure, but in a difficulty sense the moves are 3rd and even 2nd much of the time (i.e. ledge walking using hands only for balance). Just don't slip on sand or gravel or moss.
Then once you get around the corner, there's no need to head upward immediately; if you keep traversing left/south a bit longer, an easy 3rd/4th class ledge system appears, and this takes you up to Venusian and Moon Goddess on positive holds.
Eric O - Aug 12, 2005 1:04 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentI don't mean to be picky, but I noticed the route description has IV 5.7 in the heading, but then refers to 5.8 sections in the description text below.
Soloing the Moon Goddess today I was definitely choosing the easiest ways through, never doing anything harder than necessary, and I'd have to say it did get to 5.8 in two or three places. Never for more than a couple of moves in a row, but it did reach 5.8.
A 5.8 rating would also be consistent with Croft and I don't know who else. Moynier/Fiddler have it as 5.7 (at least in the older edition), but then they also rate the traverse to skirt the first tower as 5.4.
fossana - Aug 16, 2009 9:59 am - Voted 10/10
notesThe downclimb just before the second to the last pitch is short, more like 10-12 ft. Otherwise the route description is on target from a route-finding standpoint (can't speak to rope length).
Having soloed both Venusian and Moon Goddess within the last 13 months I can't say that the rock is any more sketchy than on other Sierra routes like the T-bolt to Sill traverse. IMHO, Moon Goddess was significantly more exposed than Venusian and much more fun.